Following the significant success in launching the brand new casting of the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC model in the liveries of National Express West Midlands, Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, Bluestar, Stagecoach West Scotland, Southern Vectis, Stagecoach South, Ensign Bus, Xplore Dundee, Stagecoach North West, Go North East, Stagecoach North Scotland, Go South Coast, Reading Buses, Greater Manchester Bee Network, McGill’s Bluebird, East Yorkshire, Newcastle Busways and Brighton & Hove, Northcord Model Company is now releasing the twenty nine livery on the 10.9 metre long, single-door casting – UKBUS6544, is Stagecoach Yorkshire, produced in the newest ‘Steel Blue’ livery.

UKBUS6544 represents fleet number 11716 (YX73PFJ) that was new to Stagecoach in late 2023 with registration number YX23OZH and ‘local’ livery before having received a new registration number YX73PFJ.

Stagecoach had unveiled the new-look buses, featuring a revolutionised passenger experience, which will be rolled out across its entire network, from April 2025. The so-called ‘Steel Blue’ colour scheme and livery is a true step-change for the business, and is reflected on board too, with a completely redesigned interior that focuses on putting passenger needs first.

11716 was repainted to a dark blue, almost ink black colour, in September 2024 as one of the earliest examples before being repainted in this new, standard ‘steel blue’ livery by early November 2024.

11716 carries this new ‘steel blue’ livery for route 120, heading to City Centre via Ranmoor & Broomhill. These unique, comprehensive livery details are 100% reproduced onto the UKBUS6544 models.

The stand-out features on the livery are : “Stagecoach” with the three colour beach ball, and three colour bars at the front; “Stagecoach we’ve got you” with small three colour beach ball on both sides and the rear; big three colour beach ball towards the rear on both sides; “USB Charging”, “Live Bus Tracking”, “Spacious Comfy Seating” as well as three colour bars at the rear.

The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC UKBUS6544 is a one-piece casting whose clean lines accentuate the square, gasket-mounted windows and the livery application on which all logos and lettering are clearly legible. Another main feature on the UKBUS6544 model is its tree protector at the front. The front dome on the model is significant, with curved windscreens on both upper deck and lower deck.

Northcord Model Company is also creating new design standards within the interior of both saloons. These features, inside the compartments, will represent the real, outstanding layout of the Enviro400 MMC, such as the extensive portrayal of handrails on upper deck and lower deck, etc.

The brand new 10.9 metre Enviro400 MMC bus models will be distributed by John Ayrey Die-Casts Limited (UK), Porte Publishing Company (Japan), 80M Bus Model Shop (Hong Kong) respectively. The UKBUS6544 model is limited to 1500 pieces worldwide.

• Enviro 400
• Enviro 400MMC
• Wright StreetDeck
• late 50s / early 60s Barton style

PRESS INFORMATION

EFE ROAD GOES COASTAL WITH NEW LEYLAND ATLANTEAN ‘SEA DOGS’

The release of EFE Road’s 1:76 scale diecast Leyland Atlantean ‘Sea Dog’ open top double decker buses last year proved to be a great success, with the models selling out at Bachmann HQ in a matter of days. However, their arrival prompted many to ask, “Are you doing Devon General versions?”

Well, the wait is finally over, and we are delighted to present five new ‘Sea Dogs’ in various iterations of Devon General and other National Bus Company liveries as part of Bachmann Europe Plc’s Spring 2026 British Railway Announcements.

The full-size ‘Sea Dogs’ were originally built for Devon General, which had begun running regular open top bus tours of the Torbay area in the summer of 1955. However, in 1961 the company introduced a fleet of nine specially built Leyland Atlanteans with Metro-Cammell bodies, each seating 75 passengers. Each was named after an historical naval or maritime figure, which quickly earned them the nickname ‘Sea Dogs’

In their distinctive cream and red livery, they became a familiar sight on the 12A-12D routes serving Torquay, Paignton, Brixham, Babbacombe and Kingswear, and carried generations of holidaymakers for the next 20 years. They were built as convertibles, with detachable roofs, meaning that they could operate as normal double deckers during the low season.

Upon nationalisation in 1969 Devon General became part of the new National Bus Company (NBC) but was amalgamated with the Western National Omnibus Company (itself part of the NBC) two years later. Under NBC the Sea Dogs were repainted into a poppy red and white livery, and also converted to one-man operation. They initially carried Devon General branding, but this was later superseded by Western National and other NBC liveries as their duties took them further afield into Cornwall and Dorset. Gradually their names disappeared too. Withdrawal commenced in 1982, and the Sea Dogs went their separate ways, finding use in places including London, Lancashire, East Yorkshire and Glasgow.

The five new EFE Road ‘Sea Dogs’ represent examples of the type during various stages of their Devon General careers, with one covering a later NBC operator. Like our 2025 ‘Sea Dogs’, the models comprise an amalgamation of new and refreshed tooling, with the enhanced lower deck benefiting from the addition of panel lines, while round or rectangular mirrors are incorporated, depending on the prototype. The upper deck is fitted with metal handrails around the top edge and has the original high position front route blind, while at the back, both the original and later style of engine bustles are offered.

Two of the new models are presented in a special Devon General gift set, while the other three are sold individually. They are:

E99945 – Leyland Atlantean Open Top Devon General Gift Set - Era 5 (1957-66)

This special twin pack is the third special gift set produced under the EFE Road banner and celebrates the golden era of the ‘Sea Dogs’ with two of the vehicles in the popular Devon General cream livery with red bands. The first of these is registration 932GTA ‘Earl Howe’, which is depicted in its original operating condition, sporting the cream coloured wheels that the type entered service with. As fleet number DL932, it is presented as working service 12D to Babbacombe. The second vehicle in the gift set is classmate 930GTA ‘Sir John Hawkins’, which differs from ‘Earl Howe’ in having red wheels and lifeguards; a change made early on by Devon General owing to the dirt build-up on the original cream wheels. The model also represents the dropping of the DL prefix to the fleet numbers, simply being number 930, and working service 12C to Kingswear. The gift set comes with a reproduction of the original Devon General ‘Sea Dog’ information brochure that was printed to coincide with the launch of the fleet into traffic.

Set Model A: Devon General (DL932 - 932 GTA)

Set Model B: Devon General (930 - 930 GTA)

E40503 – Leyland Atlantean Open Top Devon General NBC 928 928GTA - Era 7 (1971-82)


Moving forward chronologically, our next model depicts registration 928GTA ‘Sir Humphrey Gilbert’ in its early NBC condition as fleet number 928, finished in poppy red and white with Devon General branding, as operating on service 12 to Brixham. It also features period advertising on the original-style rear engine bustle and separately fitted destination banner boards on the body sides.

E40701 – Leyland Atlantean Open Top East Yorkshire NBC 904 932GTA - Era 8 (1982-94)

Next we have 932GTA again (originally ‘Earl Howe’) in its circa 1984 condition as working for East Yorkshire NBC in the Bridlington area. It is finished in NBC’s striking white and blue ‘venetian blind’ livery, complete with East Yorkshire branding, fleet number 904 and the name ‘Belvedere Star’. The front blind carries a service 100 to Bridlington destination, and the later style of replacement rear engine bustle completes the model.

E40702 – Leyland Atlantean Open Top Devon General 925 MSJ499 - Era 9 (Post 1995)

Our final ‘Sea Dog’ brings us right up to date and depicts the preserved registration MSJ499, which was originally 925GTA ‘Admiral Blake’. It is presented in its current condition, as restored in Devon General cream and red as number 925, and proudly displaying its original name. In this guise ‘Admiral Blake’ can still be seen at bus rallies and on hire duties.

EFE Road spokesman, Gary Boyd-Hope, said: “There’s an old saying about saving the best ‘til last, and that’s certainly true where these new’ Sea Dogs’ are concerned. We’ve lost count of how many times we’ve been asked about the possibility of Devon General versions, so it is very gratifying to present these new models, which are the ones collectors have been truly waiting for.”

The new models are expected to reach retailers during late March 2026. Each of the three individual models has an RRP of £46.95, while the Devon General Gift Set has an RRP of £94.95.

• Figure 1 - Garage worker raising arms as if opening the bonnet on a car.
• Figure 2 - Garage Manager checking worksheets on clipboard.
• Figure 3 - Garage worker drinking mug of tea on his break.
• Figure 4 - Garage worker with toolbox and spanner.
• Figure 5 - Garage worker crouching down to check tyre pressure.
• Figure 6 - Garage worker lying on back to work under vehicle.

• Figure 1 – Bus inspector, holding a duty clipboard in both hands
• Figure 2 – Bus driver 1, casually leaning against a bus or wall
• Figure 3 – Bus conductor 1, carrying ticket machine and cash bag, talking to the driver perhaps
• Figure 4 – Bus conductor 2, walking, chatting, starting shift
• Figure 5 – Bus conductor 3, preparing to issue a ticket
• Figure 6 – Bus driver 2, climbing into the bus cab